Sound isn't gone by any stretch of the imagination. You just may refer to it as "muffled", "muddy" or "unclear". When it comes to communication you're generally fine, ergo the noisy restaurant or crowded festival, but you can't help notice that every once in a while you get mixed up in conversation because you're a couple of letters off. It has caused embarrassment or confusion before. Maybe you notice that when the TV is on or a computer is streaming in the background, it's not possible to hear on the phone. Maybe you notice music sounding less sharp than before.
These are all the signs of a mild hearing loss. This is often the first few years of presbycusis, or hearing loss due to age.
Many people don't see the problem until they hit the moderate level of hearing loss, as that is the volume of most communication; however, you are actually doing the best thing by looking into hearing aids at the mild level. Think about it- you wouldn't ideally want to find out you have a clogged artery when it's 90% full. It's better to know when it's much less severe so you can preemptively treat it. With something like hearing loss, that frequently gets worse with time, this is the best way to handle it.
What should you look for in a mild hearing aid? First of all, mild hearing aids should be able to fit the smallest sized shells, so something like an IIC or a miniRIC should do just fine. You also want to ensure good ventilation so your ears can breathe. This allows the ears to take advantage of the hearing it still has. When you vent a hearing aid it sounds much more natural, and mild patients should take advantage of this while they don't need the power.
Mild users don't always need the cheapest, nor the most expensive thing. In general, mild users tend to be younger, so if you are into technology, using a smartphone with an IIC can make your hearing solution completely invisible but still functional for you, and able to keep your brain listening.
One huge advantage with fitting when you're mild is that there is not a period of "re-learning" sounds that you've lost. You should be able to experience the sharpness of good hearing right away. This makes the first month much more seamless and better for everyone involved.
Nova works with mild, moderate and severe patients every day. For more details about our products, click around the rest of the website or call us at 757-222-5991